Facing a criminal charge in Utah

Bond and pretrial release in Utah

Article I Section 8 of the Utah Constitution provides for the right to bail except for capital offenses and certain violent felonies committed while on probation or parole when proof is evident or presumption strong. Utah Code Ann. Sec. 77-20-201 et seq. govern pretrial release. The 2021 Utah Pretrial Release Statute (H.B. 206, 2021) substantially reformed Utah's bail system to require courts to impose the least restrictive condition reasonably available to assure appearance and community safety, and to prohibit financial conditions used solely to detain a defendant who cannot afford them. Release forms include own recognizance, conditional release with supervision, and monetary bond when supported by individualized findings. Utah R. Crim. P. 7 governs procedure.

Bond amounts, conditions, and timelines vary by county and judge. Confirm with counsel or the court.

Criminal defense attorneys serving Utah

Our directory is still building in Utah. Public-defender intake is available now.

Record clearing in Utah

Utah expungement is governed by Utah Code title 77 chapter 40a. The Clean Slate Act (HB 35, effective May 2019, full implementation 2022) added automatic expungement of eligible misdemeanor records, while petition-based expungement under 77-40a-303 remains available for other matters. The statute provides automatic expungement after waiting periods of five years for infractions and most misdemeanor classes B and C and seven years for class A misdemeanors, with petition-based expungement available for eligible felonies after a seven-year wait. Capital felonies, first-degree felonies, violent felonies, and registerable sex offenses are excluded. Petitions are filed in the court of conviction after obtaining a certificate of eligibility from the Bureau of Criminal Identification.

Eligibility, waiting periods, and the petition vs. automatic pathway depend on the conviction class and the date of the offense. Confirm with counsel or the court record.

Public defender intake in Utah

Utah Indigent Defense Commission serves STATEWIDE County. Public defenders are appointed by the court based on financial eligibility. We do not refer you to a specific public defender and we do not represent you.

Public defenders are appointed by the court based on financial eligibility. LawSensai does not refer you to a public defender and does not represent you. This packet is a courtesy summary you can share with your public defender or their intake staff. You remain responsible for applying to the court for appointed counsel.